Paint roller cleaning aid



' Jan. 14, 1969 DETTMAN 3,421,527

PAINT ROLLER CLEANING"; AID

Filed April 12, 1966 Sheet 0f 4 2Q 33 22 a 33\ I L T I T l it Q" IO I a a 36 40 IE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS ROBERT J. DETTMAN Jan. 14, 1969 J, DETTMAN 3,421,527

PAINT ROLLER CLEANING AID Filed April 12. 1966 Sheet 2 of 4 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J. DETT MAN ATTORNEYS Jan. 14; 1969 R. .1. DETTMAN 3,421,521

PAINT ROLLER CLEANING'AID Filed April 12, 1966 Sheet of 4 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J. DETTMAN ATTORNEYS Jan. 14, 1969 R. J. DETTMAN 3,421,527

PAINT ROLLER CLEANING'AID Filed April 12, 1966 Sheet 4 of 4 2s 104 I, I00

K I I06 8 *3" T I 1 N; l I I x Q 3e I lN ENTOR. ROBERT J. DETTMAN 6% $SKJA4NI ATTORNEYS United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISQLOSURE A paint roller cleaning aid comprising a coupling for removably attaching the cleaning aid to a faucet or the like from which cleaning liquid such as water is adapted to flow. Means such as a series of resilient fingers are provided below the coupling for suspending a paint roller in a generally vertical position. Means are provided for directing the cleaning liquid from the faucet through said coupling and onto the paint roller for cleaning the same. The roller may be rotata'bly supported for rotation thereof during cleaning. For this purpose, the paint roller supporting means may include a rotatable wheel which is adapted to be rotatably driven by a jet of cleaning liquid.

This invention relates to a paint roller cleaning aid and more particularly to apparatus for use in cleaning paint from paint rollers.

Various apparatuses for cleaning paint applicator rollers have been devised, many of which include a plurality of power or hand-operated moving parts which are subject to rapid wear and deterioration. Also, in many prior art paint roller cleaning apparatuses the roller is immersed in the cleaning fluid in which the paint dissolves. With such arrangements the roller is never properly cleaned without numerous changes of cleaning fluid, or without thoroughly removing the cleaning fluid with the dissolved paint therein from the roller. High speed spinning of the roller is sometimes employed for the latter purpose, during which spinning the roller must be adequately housed to contain the fluid expelled by centrifugal force from the roller. Also, many prior art cleaning aids themselves must be cleaned after use in preparation for future use.

An object of this invention is the provision of a paint roller cleaning aid which may include either no moving parts or a single moving part, which device is not readily subject to wear.

An object of this invention is the provision of a cleaning device for paint rollers which device is substantially self-cleaning.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are obtained by an arrangement with means for supporting the paint roller in a generally vertical position. The cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the roller and allowed to run off the lower end thereof. When Water is used as the cleaning fluid, the water may be allowed to simply pass off the roller and down a drain. If a fluid such as turpentine, a petroleum product, or other distillate is empolyed, it may be recirculated through a suitable recirculating system which includes filter means.

A number of different means for spraying the roller with a cleaning liquid are contemplated by this invention. In one arrangement, a spray head is provided with means for removably attaching the same to a source of cleaning liquid. The head is provided with means for supporting a paint roller at a central position on -the face thereof, and spray openings are formed in the face of the head for spraying the paint roller with cleaning liquid. In a modification of this arrangement, the spray head is provided with a generally annular chamber extending from the face of the head, which chamber communicates with the 3,421,527 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 ice spray head. The chamber surrounds the paint roller and spray openings are formed through the inner chamber wall from which cleaning liquid also is sprayed onto the paint roller.

In another arrangement, a spray tube or tubes with spray openings along one side thereof is provided, which tubes extend along the paint roller. The paint roller is rotatably supported in this arrangement and streams or jets of cleaning fluid from the spray tubes are adapted to rotate the roller. A paddle wheel may be included in the rotatable support for the paint roller to rotate the same. In yet another embodiment of the invention the cleaning fluid is directed along the inside wall of a tubular housing inside of which the paint roller to be cleaned is suspended. Protuberances or deflectors are formed on the inner wall which deflect the cleaning fluid off the wall and onto the paint roller to clean the same.

The invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts in the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view showing a paint roller cleaning aid embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of cleaning aid embodying this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of another modified form of cleaning aid which embodies this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view of another modified form of cleaning aid embodying this invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 7.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 1 of the drawings wherein there is shown a cleaning aid comprising a generally annular chamber 10 formed of coaxial inner and outer spaced cylindrical shaped walls 12 and 14, respectively. The lower ends of the cylindrical walls 12 and 14 are connected by an annular wall 16 which forms the bottom end of the chamber 1%. The upper ends of the cylinders 12 and 14 are closed by circular end walls 18 and 20 which are spaced apart to form a chamber, or flow passage 22 therebetween. A coupling 24 is formed on the outer upper end wall 20, which coupling communicates with the passage 22 through aperture 26 in the Wall 20. Any suitable type coupling may be used, as desired, for connection of the device to a source of cleaning fluid. In FIGURE 1, the coupling is internally threaded at 28 for connection to the threaded end of a faucet or spigot 30, only a fragmentary portion of which is shown in FIGURE 1. The faucet connects to a suitable source of cleaning liquid or fluid, not shown. For cleaninig a paint roller applicator used with a water-soluble paint, the device may be simply connected to a conventional water facuet. Where a nonwater soluble paint is used, the device may be connected to a source of suitable solvent, such as a petroleum distillate, or the like.

The inner wall 12 of the chamber 10 is formed with a plurality of spray holes 32 from which jets, or streams, of the liquid solvent flow. Any suitable number of holes 32 of any suitable size and spacing may be employed. Also, the holes may be formed of any suitable shape and at any suitable angle. In the illustrated ararngement, the generally radially extending holes are of cylindrical shape and angle slightly downwardly. Similarly, holes 33 are formed in the inner end wall 18 through which jets of cleaning liquid are sprayed onto a paint roller applicator 36. In the illustrated arrangement the holes 33 are located adjacent the outer edge of the end wall 18 for spraying the outside of the roller. Obviously, similar spray holes (not shown) could be provided adjacent the center of the end wall 18 for spraying the inside of the paint roller, if desired.

The paint roller applicator 36 is supported inside the inner cylindrical wall 12 a spaced distance therefrom. Rollers of any conventional design may be cleaned with this device, and in the illustrated arrangement the roller is shown comprising a cylindrical member 38 covered by a paint-receiving member 40. The cylindrical member 33 may comprise a solid, or mesh-like member, and the paintreceiving member may comprise a fabric, bristle-like cover or the like.

Any suitable means may be used to support the roller 36. In FIGURES 1 and 2, fingers '42 arranged in a circle and extending downwardly from the inner end wall 18, are

provided for support of the roller. The outer free ends of d the fingers angle inwardly toward the axis of the device to permit application of the roller thereon. The fingers are sufflciently resilient and properly positioned to firmly grip the inside of the roller 36 to securely support the same, yet permit easy application to and removal thereof from the device. With the illustrated supporting means, rollers of any length may be supported and cleaned.

In operation, the device is coupled to a source of liquid cleaning fluid or solvent through the coupling 24. As indicated above, water may be used as the solvent, where the paint on the roller 40 is water soluble, in which case the device simply may be connected to a water faucet. Water, under pressure, is introduced into the chamber and streams out of the holes 32 and 33 in jets and onto the paint roller 36 to spray the same. The paint is carried off by the solvent which flows down the paint roller and off the lower end thereof. If desired, the roller may be removed from the device and replaced thereon in an inverted position for cleaning the other end. By simply spraying the roller for a sufficient time, the roller is thoroughly cleaned. There is no requirement to dry the roller since the paint is removed therefrom during the cleaning process and only liquid solvent remains thereon, which solvent readily evaporates.

Where the roller contains a nonwater soluble paint, the device may be connected to a source of suitable solvent, such as petroleum distillate, or the like. Such solvent is much more expensive than water, and for purposes of economy may be reused by filtering the paint therefrom. As shown in FIGURE 1, a skirt 43 depends from the lower end of the inner chamber wall 12 by means of which the device may be connected through a suitable hose to a circulating system, not shown. The system may incude a pump, reservoir and filter for filtering the paint from the solvent, which solvent is then pumped back to the cleaning device. The solvent is circulated until the roller is thoroughly cleaned of paint.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 3 and 4, wherein there is shown a modified form of paint roller cleaning aid embodying this invention which includes one or more vertically extending spray tubes 50 formed with spray holes 52 of suitable size and spacing. For purposes of illustration, two spray tubes 50 are shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The upper end of each spray tube 50 communicates with a chamber 54 formed between spaced upper and lower walls 56 and 58, respectively. A coupling '60 is formed on the outer upper end wall 56, which coupling communicates with the chamber 54 through an aperture 62 in the wall 56. For purposes of illustration, this coupling 69 is shown of a generally tapered shape with annular ridges 66 formed on the inner wall thereof. The coupling is formed of resilient material and may he slipped over the end of the faucet 34 to couple the same thereto. Such couplings are of well known design, and are adapted to fit faucets of different diameter.

The lower wall 5-8 is provided with a centrally located downwardly extending post 68 having a drive wheel 70 rotatably mounted thereon. The wheel is maintained on the post between the wall 58 and an enlarged diameter and 72 at the lower end of the post. The wheel may simply comprise a cylinder 74 with flanges 76 at the upper and lower ends and vanes or blades 78 extending generally radially therefrom bet-ween the flanges. Resilient fingers 42 extend from the lower flange 76 for supporting the roller 36. Several apertures 52 adjacent the upper end of the spray tubes 50 are oriented to direct streams of liquid solvent against the vanes 78 generally tangentially thereof to provide a torque thereto to rotate the wheel 70 and attached roller 36.

With the device connected to a water faucet, water is sprayed onto the paint roller from the apertures 52 in the spray tubes 50, and the wheel 70 is rotated by the streams of water impinging thereon. The rotating paint roller is thereby sprayed with water, which spraying operation is simply continued until the roller is flushed clean.

Although the holes 52 which direct liquid solvent onto the paint roller are shown angled downwardly in FLIG- URE 3, the orientation thereof is not critical, and such holes may be formed with any desired orientation so long as the paint roller is rotated during the cleaning operation. The holes 52 may be oriented so that the streams of water therefrom exert a torque on the roller. Such torque may be suflicient to rotate the roller in which case the vaned wheel 70 could be eliminated from the structure, if desired. With such an arrangement, a rotatable member without vanes for rotatably supporting the roller would be substituted for the vaned wheel 70.

A further modification of the invention is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 to which reference is now made. The cleaning aid illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 comprises a vertical cylinder 36 which is open at the lower end and closed at the upper end by an end wall 88. A coupling 24 of the type shown in FIGURE 1 is provided on the end wall for the introduction of liquid solvent into the cylinder through a central aperture 90. A generally cylindricalshaped deflector plate 92 is supported a short spaced distance from the upper end wall 88 by radial arms 94 extending between the plate 92 and cylnder 86. Although four such arms are shown in FIGURE 6, a greater or fewer number of such arms may be used, as desired. Also, other obvious means may be used for the support of the deflector plate. For example, the deflector plate may be provided with an upwardly extending central post which connects to the end wall 88, which end wall 88 would be provided with radially displaced apertures for the flow of cleaning liquid therethrough, rather than the illustrated central aperture 90. The roller 36 is supported beneath the plate 92 by resilient arms 42 of the type shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 and described above.

With this arrangement, protuberances or deflectors 96 are provided on the inside surface of the cylinder wall 86. the liquid solvent from the faucet 30 flows throug lTthe coupling 24, over the top surface of the deflector plate 92 and thence down the inside wall of the cylinder 86. The solvent strikes the protuberances 96 and is deflected olf the wall and against the paint roller supported within the cylinder. The flow of solvent is continued until the paint has been cleaned from the roller. The solvent impinging on the roller flows downwardly therealong and falls off the lower end thereof. Where water is employed as the solvent, the water from the device may be simply directed down a drain. If other solvents are employed, they may be filtered and recirculated in the manner described above.

Another modification of the invention is shown in FIG- URES 7 and 8 to which reference is now made. The arrangement therein shown is similar to that shown in FIG- URES l and 2, and described above, except it is formed without the cylindrical shaped walls 12 and 14, and depending skirt 43. As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, the device comprises a spray head 100 having a chamber 102 formed between spaced walls 104 and 106. The upper wall is provided with a coupling 24, of the type shown in FIGURES l and 5, for connection of the device to a suitable source of cleaning liquid through a spigot 30. A central downwardly extending boss 108 is formed on the lower face of the lower end wall 106, and fingers 42 extend therefrom for the support of a paint roller 36 thereon. Apertures 110 are formed in the lower end wall 106 through which jets of cleaning liquid from the chamber 102 are sprayed onto the paint roller to clean the same. Any desired number of holes of suitable size and spacing may be used. The illustrated holes angle inwardly to direct the streams of cleaning liquid onto the paint roller.

The device may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, metal, or the like, and may be made by any desired process. With the illustrated construction, the device is readily made of plastic by a blow-molding process.

The invention having been described in detail in accordance with the requirements of the Patent Statutes, various other changes and modifications thereof may suggest themselves to those skilled in this art. For example, a plurality of the devices may be molded together in either a side-by-side or straight line arrangement with the axes thereof in parallel. The integrally formed devices could be manifolded to a single faucet coupling. With such arrangements, a plurality of paint rollers may be simultaneously cleaned. It is intended that the above and other such changes and modifications shall fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paint roller cleaning aid comprising,

means for supporting a paint roller in a generally vertical position, and

means associated with said supporting means for spraying a paint roller supported by the supporting means with a cleaning liquid to clean the paint roller,

said spraying means comprising an elongated spray tube, means for introducing cleaning liquid under pressure to said spray tube, means forming apertures along one side of said spray tube for producing jets of cleaning liquid,

said paint roller supporting means including a rotatable wheel arranged for rotatably supporting a paint roller a spaced distance from the spray tube in the path of jets of cleaning liquid for cleaning the paint roller, said rotatable wheel being adapted to be rotatably driven by at least one jet of cleaning liquid from the spray tube.

2. The cleaning aid as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of parallel connected spray tubes for spraying the paint roller from a plurality of sides.

3. A paint roller cleaning aid comprising,

means for supporting a paint roller in a generally vertical position, and

means associated with said supporting means for spraying a paint roller supported by the supporting means with a cleaning liquid to clean the paint roller,

said spraying means comprising,

a tubular housing,

means for introducing cleaning liquid into the housing adjacent the upper end thereof for flow along the inner wall,

a plurality of protuberances on the inner wall surface of the housing for deflecting the cleaning liquid off the wall,

said supporting means being arranged to support a paint roller inside the housing a spaced distance therefrom in the path of cleaning liquid deflected off the protuberances on the inner wall surface of the housing.

4. A paint roller cleaning aid comprising,

a rotatable wheel,

means for removably securing a paint roller to the rotatable wheel with the paint roller extending downwardly therefrom in a generally vertical position,

means for spraying a paint roller secured to the rotatable wheel with a cleaning liquid to clean the paint roller, and

means for directing at least one jet of cleaning liquid into the rotatable wheel for rotatably driving the same and the attached paint roller while spraying the paint roller with a cleaning fluid.

5. The paint roller cleaning aid as defined in claim 4 wherein said spraying means includes,

at least one elongated spray tube,

means for introducing cleaning liquid under pressure to said spray tube, and

means forming apertures along one side of said spray tube for producing jets of cleaning liquid directed onto the paint roller for cleaning the same.

6. The paint roller cleaning aid as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for directing at least one jet of cleaning liquid onto the rotatable wheel includes an aperture in said spray tube from which said one jet emits.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 214,468 4/1879 Strang 134-198 XR 2,542,237 2/1951 Dewey 134182 XR 2,542,491 2/1951 Engel 134149 XR 2,601,364 6/1952 Byrnes 134-151 2,741,254 4/1956 Trostler 134199 2,741,857 4/1956 Linatsas 134-449 XR 2,785,010 3/1957 Nelson 134-198 XR 2,831,488 4/1958 Anderson 134-138 2,985,178 5/1961 Christensen 134149 3,075,534 1/1963 Habostad 134-138 ROBERT L. BLEUTGE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 134149, 182, 199 

